Metroid: Trust
by ngrey651
Summary: A seemingly ordinary inspection of a dead, old space station turns into something far more as Samus Aran tells of how the mission turned horribly wrong. And Ridley the Space Pirate Lord learns trust from an eccentric, unlikely savior...read and review!
1. Prologue and Chapter One

**PROLOGUE**

It was nighttime at the bar. The old bartender, formerly a Zebes native, ran it based on three rules: take the fighting outside, never stiff the bartender, and no whistling at the girls unless you buy them some wine. He didn't usually have trouble. But his mind wasn't on the mug he was cleaning in his three-fingered, clawed hands. His insectoid face, beaked with huge eyes and armor over his body, looked down at his own reflection in the mug and he sighed. He'd removed his cloaked hood; it was getting musty and needed to be cleaned.

Where was she? She ALWAYS came in at 10:00 on the dot for a drink before heading home to get some sleep. Meanwhile, a jukebox played an old Earth song from years past as the bartender finally saw a good, dear friend come in. A good dear friend who also happened to be a good customer…and a d—n good bounty hunter to boot. When he saw that she wasn't wearing her suit though…and her expression…

_If I had a dollar bill for every time I'd been wrong, I'd be a self-made-millionaire and you'd still be gone! So hand me down my best dress shoes and my best dress shirt! Cuz I'm goin' out in style…to cover the huuuuurt…_

The blond-haired, well-built woman sat down on a chair in a popular bar. The chairs of the bar didn't have a single person in them…it was a VERY slow day today. Most people were at home or at the big game that was playing in the city. Most people. Not this woman.

_All I wanna do all day is spend it in bed! But that's bad for the body, and even worse for my head! So I'll try and find a place where no-one will ask me a thing! It'll help me to forget…and help me to sing!_

The bartender put down an offering for her. She shoved the mug of light brown liquid away, and it flew across the countertop of the bar, making the bartender wince. It had been a fancy glass mug worth at least half a month's salary, and she usually loved that brand of beer.

"I don't want a friggin' beer. Get me an absinthe and put in a little lemon!" She muttered.

The bartender whistled as he pulled down the drink from the countertop and began mixing it for her. "An absinthe? Was your day that bad, Sammy?"

Samus Aran gulped down the absinthe he offered a moment later. "YES." She muttered. "Yes, it…it was. It…it was awful."

_Cuz nowww…I'm drunk again! A means to my ennnnd! And I'm scared of myself…cuz nowww…it's all the saaame! The faces and naaaames! And I'm scared of myself agaaaiiiiin… _

Her mind kept racing back to that spaceship…back to that kid…back to that smile…

"What happened?" The bartender asked her.

She was quiet. Deathly so.

_Have you ever wanted to wake up from your dreaming? It scared you so bad you couldn't control your heart or your breathing! Well walk out the door, with me on the floor, you don't care how I'm feeling! I guess I'm weak and tired of fighting man, it's no longer appealing!_

He'd been smiling. That dumb, stupid kid…why had he been happy?…

"Samus, come on."

_Cuz nowww…I'm drunk again! A means to my ennnnd! And I'm scared of myself…cuz nowww…it's all the saaame! The faces and naaaames! And I'm scared of myself agaaaiiiiin… _

He'd been wearing a pretty little mood necklace. His hair, she remembered the way it's waves, how he'd brushed them back…and that smile…

"Come on."

_Some people have a window reachin' right into your soul! They're finding a hole! And making it bigger! Sometimes I think I catch your eye and send you close smiles! And in a short while…you'll be my heart's grave-diggeerrrrr!_

Stupid, stupid kid…went and saved both our lives…what chance did he have? He knew he was going to die, why smile?...

_Well there's not much I can do…cuz I'm at the mercy of yooouuu! So baby I guess we're through!_

"Talk."

Samus put down the drink. She blinked her blue eyes once, twice. She brushed her blond hair back as it fell down, no longer tied into a ponytail the way she usually liked it. She stared at the drink below her, then spoke.

_Cuz nowww…I'm drunk again! A means to my ennnnd! And I'm scared of myself…cuz nowww…it's all the saaame! The faces and naaaames! And I'm scared of myself agaaaiiiiin… _

"It was just another routine mission…I had to check out this asteroid that had part of an abandoned space station stuck in it. The Federation wanted me to give the place a look through to see if there was anything of value left on the station…they didn't give me the reason why it had been abandoned, I didn't ask…"

_Cuz nowww…I'm drunk again! A means to my ennnnd! And I'm scared of myself…cuz nowww…it's all the saaame! The faces and naaaames! And I'm scared of myself agaaaiiiiin… _

"But…I wasn't the only one there. I figured that out pretty quickly, and before I knew it, I was fighting for my life…"

"If I had a dollar bill for every time for every time I'd been wrong, I'd be a self-made millionaire, and I wouldn't be singin'…" A soft voice sang out from behind her, at a nearby table…

* * *

**METROID:**

**TRUST**

(Shot cuts to a stage. FLOW takes the stage as a brown-haired American youth who is also on the stage in front of them points to them in a dramatic fashion, yelling "HIT IT!".)

_Kaki narase sonzai wo, __Koko ni iru toooo...__Arata na tabi ga ima hajimaruuuu!_

(Scene cuts to show Samus standing on a floating platform, her back to Ridley, who glances over at her, then faces away from her again as the stars whiz by.)

_Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! _

_Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! _

_Kawari yuku kisetsu no naka wo, __Ikinuku tabi ni bokura! __Chie to tsuyosa wo te ni ireta kedoooo_

(Scene of Samus taking off her power suit's helmet, shaking her hair. She grins at the camera)\

_(Just looks like a survival game!)_

_Nagareteku jikan no naka ni, __Okizari ni shita omoi wo…__Wasureta koto sura wasurete itaaaaa… _

(Scene cuts to Ridley, standing on a tall spire inside Space Pirate HQ. His eyes narrow in a frightening fashion, then he takes off through the air.)

_Kuzure kaketa toki…kodoku wo shitte! __Deaeta bokura hitori ja nai!_

(Scene of Samus running in her power suit through Zebes, with Ridley right next to her as a massive wall of fire rushes towards them both from behind them.)

_Sarake dase kanjou wo, __Banjou no omoi wooo! __Namidame ga unmei wo kaete yukuuu! __Yami ni uchi narase kodou wo, __Kitto aeru yooo! __Onaji itami no hata no moto de!_

_Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! _

_Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! _

(Scene of brown-haired youth appearing on the floating platform from before. He salutes the camera with his middle and pointer finger on his right hand)

_Utsuri yuku kioku no naka de, __Kawara nai taisetsu na mono wo…__Mitsuke dasou toshite samayotte itaaaa!_

_Boukyaku no hate de deaeta no wa…__Wazuka demo tashika na nukumoriiii…_

(Scene cuts back to Samus and Ridley running. Now the youth joins them, running in between both of them.)

_Sarake dase kanjou wo, __Banjou no omoi wooo! __Namidame ga unmei wo kaete yukuuu! __Yami ni uchi narase kodou wo, __Kitto aeru yooo! __Onaji itami no hata no moto de!_

(Scene of Samus sitting alone in her room, clutching her head, tears falling from her eyes. Then there is a scene of Ridley alone on a mountaintop, tail curled around himself as he stares longingly at the moon.)

_Sarake dase kanjou wo, __Banjou no omoi wooo! __Namidame ga unmei wo kaete yukuuu! __Yami ni uchi narase kodou wo, __Kitto aeru yooo!_

(Scene now shows both Ridley and Samus on the floating platform. The kid pulls them both together in a shoulder hug and grins at the camera as both Ridley and Samus look up at him, then at the camera, finally breaking out into smiles themselves.)

_Kaki narase sonzai wo __Koko ni iru to...__Hibike ano akatsuki no sora ni!_

_Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! _

_Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! Wo-oh, wo-oh, wo-oh, woah! _

(Camera fades on that last scene to show the title.)

**CHAPTER ONE**

A single light-bulb flickered on and off in the smooth hallway of the abandoned space station. The walls looked old and creaky, but that was simply because the station had collided with a large asteroid of considerable size. Now the walls were fit to burst, as rock and dirt oozed out from cracks. The whole place looked as though it was going to break down into pieces at a moment's notice, yet somehow remained steadfast.

A long trail of blood led down the hallway where the light-bulb flickered on and off. If one was to follow it, it would lead up to a cursing individual who was using one hand to steady himself on the walls as he limped towards the end of the hallway, to an open door that led into the deeper recesses of the station, and the asteroid itself. The core of the asteroid itself was several miles away, but the individual's mind wasn't thinking of that…he had his thoughts on one person.

"That d—n bounty hunter!" The Space Pirate Lord Ridley hissed as he dragged his body through the hallways of the abandoned space station. He resembled a pterodactyl, or actually, a dragon. He had skeletal wings, a long, powerful tail with a sharp, barbed end of the color of dried blood, a long beaklike-face and a maw filled with sharp teeth, situated on a head atop a long neck. His body was covered in purple scaly flesh that were endurable and smooth, with strong, rippling muscles. He had large talons attached to his legs, three of them, and like the big claws on his hands, they gleamed the color of a slightly milky white. Three cord-like tubes led up from a fold on his throat up to his long head, this granted him control over flame which he belched freely from his maw. His pale green/yellow eyes gleamed as well, as thoughts of revenge filled his mind.

He was so SURE that nobody would find him there…he'd been positive that nobody would bother with the space station he was using to mine Afluorite. Alfuorite was a very precious metal that was used to charge up space ship power cells…and, more importantly, a substance that was just PERFECT for cloning purposes.

The Space Pirate's had numbers going for them…but quantity over quality wasn't something to be proud of when it came to trying to fend of a certain individual named Samus Aran. Her specially made armor suit, handcrafted by the ancient avian-type aliens the Chozo, had proven that one person COULD make a difference…at least when it came to ruining their plans! Entire battalions had fallen to her in a matter of minutes.

At least their cloning technology was superior. The stupid Galactic Federation would like nothing more than to get their hands on the specially-developed tech that the Space Pirates used to bring back their most worthy warriors. Unfortunately, the process took some time, and more importantly, a LOT of alfluorite. Even he, who could regenerate his body by consuming other bodies, had to be revived in such a manner sometimes...it was degrading, but less strain on his head then his normal regeneration, which played havoc with the memories of his head. He would continue to forget what was said, the reason why, when or where his battles took place...he was only remembering the pain, the blood...most of it belonging to him.

Was that all that mattered, in the end? Did he really NEED a reason to hate that hunter?

But he was getting tired of being revived through the space pirate technology...not that he didn't appreciate their keen use of afluorite. They stretched it whenever they could, but eventually they did run out and had to get more.

Luckily Ridley had found this asteroid, and had discovered, while travelling en-route to the main base, the space station stuck in the asteroid. Presumably the space station's crew and scientists had jumped ship when the asteroid hit it, and never discovered the wonders within the core of it…afluorite EVERYWHERE, lining it from tip to top, shining brightly and ripe for plucking.

He'd sent several dozen shipments out, and things had been going well, but Ridley had barely scratched the surface of mining when BOOM, who should come to investigate the space station wreckage but that meddling bounty hunter, Samus Aran?

Aran was Ridley's rival, a rival for LIFE. The two were destined to meet each other and fight, it was practically written in the stars. The Space Pirates had given her a lot of grief on her many missions, had killed a few of her friends, had kidnapped her precious "Hatchling", a baby specimen of the Metroid race she'd named and grown to care for like a mother for a child. And the Space Pirates hated her for good reasons to: she killed them over and over, ruined their plans on conquering worlds and most of all, had blown up their leader, Mother Brain…MORE than once!

Ridley spat blood on the ground. She'd wounded him badly. He remembered he'd heard someone walking through the hallways…he'd intended to take the intruder by surprise, but upon sneaking up from behind, when he'd gotten close enough and seen it was HER…

"Aran…" he'd cackled.

Samus had whipped around, seeing him. He was sure her eyes had widened beneath that visor on her helmet. Her armored suit immediately reacted, activating her plasma buster as she raised it at him. "Ridley." She spat. "Scourge of Zebes. Should have known YOU'D be here! You're following me around, aren't you?"

"I could ask you the same thing, bounty hunter." Ridley had laughed. "Tell me, is my sexual charm having an effect on you yet? You always seem to come crawling back to me!"

Oh, now THAT had been a harsh blow on her pysche. He'd had the pleasure of seeing her shudder before she snarled "You're not my type" at him.

He'd shrugged, then his eyes had narrowed as he licked his lips with his tongue. "I think we both know your life will end in by my hand. With you defenseless, naked, alone…with ME. So then…" His gaze had turned steely. "To business as usual…"

It had started out well. Slashing claws had struck her shoulder, then he'd managed to whack her into the wall, and before she could even stagger back, he'd slammed his tail into her gut, laughing as he drew back. He licked the blood off of the tail, enjoying it's sweet taste. "Mmm…" He murmured. "You taste like cherries…"

Samus was panting, clenching her fist. Ridley spread out his arms in a mock hug. "Aww, you're not giving up ALREADY, are you Sammy g-"

He'd forgotten one of the foremost rules of fighting: don't gloat over your enemy's body unless you're sure they're dead. It pained him to admit it, (far less than the horrible nearly-broken wing did) but he'd gotten careless. She'd been more prepared than he had thought she'd been…missiles, how had she gotten ahold of **super missiles**? He'd barely gotten away with his life! And now…

He felt so tired. He reached the door and staggered through, entering the rocky folds of the asteroid, hiding in a nearby crack in the wall that was big enough to fit him. Just…just a moment's rest…

Something came to mind. Hmm. Aran. It was an uncommon name. Not too uncommon, but still…

He'd heard it somewhere before. Hmm…_hmm_…

Deep down in his head, a part of him might have known the answer that contined to be buried every time Ridley devoured others to keep his own cells alive…but Ridley was pretty d—n good at denial, hadn't he convinced himself over and over that he could bring "death to the hunter"? Still…if only he could be sure, 100 sure, if there was some way-

"**_OW_**!" He shouted suddenly. He'd bonked his wing against the wall and now fiery pain shot up. It was broken, broken…he was limping, his chest was bleeding away, his left wing was broken and he had chunks of flesh blown off of his arm. He was sweating, his sweat falling into the small pool of blood that was forming beneath him, as the two liquids went "dra-drip, dra-drip"…

"I'm going to die here." He thought. If the Space Pirates could recover the tiniest part of his body, just enough for a DNA sample, he could survive, but he knew…he was doomed. They weren't supposed to check up on him for another five hours, and by then he'd be too far gone. Once Samus found his body she'd probably burn it until there was only ash, or…or worse, maybe toss him into one of the many acid pits here in the asteroid…

"I'll die here…I'll die here…" He whispered as unconsciousness gripped him.

I'm going to die. He thought.

I'm going to die…

I'm going to…die…

I'm going…to…die…

I'm…going…to…die…

I'm…

I…

I die.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Luck is a funny thing.

Life itself is riddled with a mixture of oddities, random occurrences, karmic moments and fatalistic happenings. But throughout it all…there is luck, sweet, pure luck. And Luck at that moment came bursting into play in the form of a hand that suddenly began shaking Ridley.

The first thing he was aware of was that his wounds hurt far less. The second that his wing was…bandaged. The third, as he opened his eyes, was that he was in a smooth room, apparently an abandoned bedroom for one of the ship's crew. And the fourth…

His savior was a human _kid_, who had a smile that made Ridley want to either punch him in the face or smile right back. Since he was too tired, he just blinked and tried to focus more on the kid, who stopped shaking him once he realized that the space dragon was awake.

"Good morning smiley person!" He told Ridley, with an attention-grabbing, almost melodramatic voice. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty. You need to be awake if you're going to eat something, here."

Something was thrust before him…a chocolate bar. Ridley snapped his jaws on it just as the kid let go, gobbling it down. It was a little warm and soft, but had a nice feel to it, and was very good, quite rich in its taste.

"It's a Ghiradelli. I bought a little pack, it's in my backpack. Here, how about some water?" The kid held up a bottle of water with a label of "Poland Spring" on it. Ridley eyed the kid over…what was the human playing at? Didn't he know who Ridley was? Still…his throat was parched.

He took the water and forced it to his lips, drinking it down. It was also a bit warm, but it quenched his desert-dry throat, and he allowed a sigh of relief to escape from his mouth. He nodded at the kid. "Thank you." He got out in a colorful, mild baritone of a voice. "Who might you be?"

It seemed odd that he was asking for the kid's name, he'd probably end up killing him anyway…why get to know an animal you raise for slaughter? Still…the kid piqued his curiosity.

"Nick's my name." The human kid responded. He rubbed the back of his neck with a hand, grinning. Ridley looked him over…besides the smile, the most noticeable thing about this child was his necklace…it was a mood necklace, with a blue circle on the end of it, and a…tooth of some predator was hanging from the top of the circle. The kid was wearing a green shirt with a blue vest, white sneakers, and blue jeans. He had curly/wavy hair that was brushed back, and those hazel eyes were staring right into Ridley's green/yellow ones.

"So, what's your name?" The kid asked.

Ridley blinked. The kid didn't know who he was? But he was RIDLEY for pete's sake! Scourge of Zebes, infamous commander of the space pirates, second hand of Mother Brain, the list went on and on! He'd been on "The Galaxy's Most Wanted" for YEARS!

Hmm. _**Hmmmm**_.

"Where are you from?" Ridley asked.

"My planet? Oh, Earth." The kid responded. "I kinda ended up here by accident. Crashed into the surface while I was on a big trip, a grand tour."

Well, that sort of explained it. Earth still had cities, states, countries that were, by intergalactic standards, underdeveloped. The kid was probably a country bumpkin who was new to space. But…how'd he end up here?

"Anyhow, what's your name?" The kid asked nicely again.

"Oh, Ridley." He responded, thinking it safe.

"Cool." The kid said. "But…isn't that a girl's name?" He asked.

Ridley looked offended. "Hey, I'll have you know-" But before he could stand up and whack the kid, pain shot through his wing again. "ARGH! D—n it…" He closed his eyes, panting.

"You should lie down for a little while. Your wing needs time to heal." The kid said. He walked over to a backpack in the corner of the room and pulled out a small white box. "Good thing I always carry a first-aid kit wherever I go, ever since that incident…the life I save could be my own and all that jazz!"

Ridley clenched and unclenched his claws as he lay down on his back. He noticed suddenly that the kid had put him on a blanket, and had given him a pillow to boot…d—n decent of him.

"Why are you helping me?" He found himself asking. He wanted to say "Don't you know who I am, boy?!?", but didn't.

The kid simply shrugged. "I don't really need a reason to help someone, do I?" He said. "It's just the right thing to do. Now then…" He pulled up a nearby chair in the room and sat down in it, his back facing a desk. "Tell me about yourself! You've got a long while before that wound heals, so there's lots of time to kill. An icebreaker or two will pass the time!"

Ridley groaned…but not in pain. He HATED this sort of thing.

"Oh, you hate icebreakers huh? Me too. How about I just tell you something interesting about myself, you do the same for you, and we call it even?"

Ridley raised his head, nodding. Already his mind was thinking…what could he safely say?

"Well something interesting about me is that I have a Hawaiian girlfriend, and she has a HUGE family, or as we like to call it, _ohana_."

Ridley blinked a few times. "Ohana?"

"It's a Hawaiian word. _Ohana_ means family. Family means nobody gets left behind…or forgotten. I keep that lesson with me ever since I had to say goodbye to her, so I can never forget her."

Hawaiian? Oh yes, he'd heard of that island. Lovely little place, still a great vacation spot after all these years. Odd though…the kid didn't look Hawaiian. Hmm. Now then, what to say, what to-

Suddenly Ridley realized that…he could say it. He could get what he'd been wanting to scream out for years off his chest. He'd never told this to anyone else, not the whole story anyhow. The kid wasn't going to live to tell anyone else, and it would feel good to tell SOMEONE.

Then the kid said something.

"Ridley…I have to ask this…how did you get injured?"

The kid actually did care. Hmm.

"Well…Nick…how about I tell you my interesting thing?"

The kid nodded eagerly. "Okay! Fire away!"

Ridley gave a sad, harsh chuckle and smiled wryly. This would distract the kid from asking about his wounds, alright. "Well, I guess an interesting thing about me is that I'm probably the last of my kind because my race was exterminated right before my eyes on my home planet of Zebes… and by the very government that regulates this galaxy."

And with those words, Ridley knew there was no turning back.


	3. Chapter 3

**Quick author's note: **

**For those of you wondering what the opening was about, picture it as an opening for a TV show. That's the sort of format I was aiming for. Anyhow, enjoy the rest of the story!**

**CHAPTER THREE**

"JESUS CHRIST!" The kid shouted. "That's…that's awful…" He said sadly, sympathetically. Ridley nodded slowly.

"Yes. I was born on the Planet Zebes, and we Space Dragons mostly keep to ourselves, so there weren't that many of us out in space at all. Primarily, we're a species heavily involved in conflict." Ridley rose up, sighing. His eyes became misty with memory. "We fight many wars amongst ourselves, duels of honor are how we settle most disputes we have…I mean had…and although Zebes's natural resources were buried deep within its crust, our minds were keen, almost as sharp as our claws. We lived side by side with the Chozo, another alien race. They were avian-types, wise and ancient."

The kid had heard the comments on the Chozo, but he kept looking at those claws. They looked VERY sharp. Ridley took in a deep breath and continued.

"My kind was, I found out soon enough, on the verge of reaching advanced spaceflight. We could already build fairly powerful enough spacecraft to travel to nearby planets…"

"For trading and stuff?" The kid asked.

"Well, yes…and sometimes just to look for a challenge. The Chozo were pacifistic, they helped us out supplies occasionally and other matters. Occasionally we WOULD need a neutral third party to settle a conflict."

"Fair enough. They sound nice." The kid complimented.

Ridley looked a bit nervous. He felt a twinge of pity. He'd come back later…to wipe out the Chozo colony here on Zebes. They hadn't even fought back. The last one alive had, from what he'd heard in rumors, been a mentor to Samus, "Old Bird". It had been rather regretful, Old Bird had been very friendly and nice to Ridley in childhood. It had bothered the dragon to see that the same old alien whose had chuckled harshly as he slid off of Ridley's spiked tail had been the same old alien who'd offer Ridley hot chocolate whenever the little snot-nosed dragon was around.

But rules were rules…

Still…

No. He couldn't think like that. Move on. Ridley cleared his mind and went on. "But we were close, we were at a breakthrough in technology. Heh…" Ridley chuckled. "Heh-heh-heh…my father was an amazing warrior. I watched him all the time. But my mother, she was a scientist, I wanted to be like her, to travel to other worlds on a craft of my own making, to see everything. But that was before the Federation decided that my kind were too dangerous to live."

Ridley's tone become venomous, bitter. Hatred etched into every word. "The Federation issued a series of mass genocide campaigns against my species. Since we had begun to make colonies on planets near Zebes, they decided that they couldn't take the chance of letting us EXIST, they…they sent their men to our colonies…and lower Nofair, where I lived, was the last one."

Now his voice was quiet, settled. "I was 6. My mind was already well-developed, yet I still had that childish notion that one day I would be a scientist, that I was going to go out into the galaxy and that…HA! That it would _accept_ me…and while I was examining some creatures in Nofair, I heard…heard…"

MANY YEARS AGO…

A much younger Ridley, his claws, teeth and body shorter, his muscles barely visible, eyes beaming with curiosity, poked the yellow/orange creature with a stick. It's blobbish, spiked body quivered, letting out a strange "waarr-woooorrrppp" sound as it bounced away. "Cooooool." Ridley said. "Okay, note: Yellow Violas go "war-worp"." He scratched his head. "It was "War-whooop" for the green ones, and those Multiviolas go "wa-weeeeeep"."

He groaned. "And those Zeebos don't even let me get within fifty feet of them before they chase me. Same thing with those awful bat-like things, what did Old Bird call them again? Oh right, the species is "Holtz". And those armored insects that snuck on me were Dessgeegas, which taste pretty good once you take the armor off their arms." Ridley smacked his lips. "I should write the information I've learned about the Violas down once I get back home to Mom and Dad, the frequency of the pitches is awfully inter-"

Then he heard something. Shouting, screaming…shooting. Plasma shots, coming from…

Home…

Ridley bolted over a natural bridge that ran over a small lake of lava and ran to the sliding electronic door that barred the way into the entrance of his colony. He raised his hand and brought it to the scanner. What was going on? Someone must have come in through the back entrance of the colony, but why wasn't anyone coming…

When the door slid open he understood why.

Men had been teleported down to Nofair, and were blocking the way in. At the front was an official-looking middle-aged human who was looking at the entrance to the Nofair colony with a strange expression. Some of the humans around him, all in odd uniform, where LAUGHING.

"I just heard on the two-way: Bob's got eighteen of them!"

"Big deal, dude. Ray got 23."

"Hey, why are we down here again? They're just overgrown lizards. Salamanders with wings. Why bother with them again?" It looked like the one speaking was new. His fellow soldiers all clapped him on the shoulder or chuckled.

"Remember what the big boss said? "They represent a grave threat to the galaxy and must be exterminated for the good of all". Apparently these dumb lizards are supposed to be on the verge of interstellar travel. The next thing we know, they could be walking down our streets and going into a Mickey D's to ask for a Big Mac."

"Horses—t."

"Yeah, probably. They probably eat human flesh anyway…"

"Good riddance to bad rubbish."

"I'm bored. None of them are getting out this way, we locked the back door, all of us are blocking the front entrance, the whole shebang." The first human soldier said. "Let's go get a drink and come back in five."

Agreeing, the human soldiers walked off away from Ridley, not having any idea he was there. The only person who remained was that man. He looked down at the ground, and once the men were completely out of earshot spoke. "You shouldn't be here." He told Ridley, turning around. Ridley was surprised. "How did you…"

He raised his hand to the sunglasses he was wearing and tapped them. "Back-view sunglasses. As good as having eyes in the back of your head. Now…" He put his hands on his hips and sighed. "What am I going to do with you?..."

He was a gruff-looking man, strong in stature, and as he put his sunglasses away in a belt case, Ridley saw eyes filled with intelligence. He suddenly felt afraid…this man was probably an experienced warrior, and he couldn't fight! He only knew what he'd seen his father and other warriors do, putting it into PRACTICE…that was…unthinkable!

He closed his eyes and covered his head, cowering, praying that the man would kill him quickly. But instead, the man quickly walked over and grabbed him, stuffing him in a nearby air vent which he blasted open with a laser pistol. Ridley blinked in surprise and indignation, then turned to face the man, who put a finger to his lips.

"Shh. Don't tell anyone. Take the vent and follow it up to the surface. My ship's light green, I landed it near a tree that's been split into three pieces. Meet me up there."

Ridley followed the instructions, but as he slowly crawled through the vent, he looked down and saw…through the vents…

His species' slaughtered bodies. Limbs splayed out, eyes open fully or eternally closed, blood pooling everywhere, and…

And as he reached a point where he could climb straight up to the surface, he saw them. His mother and father.

Oh no…they were still alive. And…and they were surrounded by soldiers.

Ridley never forgot what he saw. They were kicking his mother as he father muttered swears and curses at the "D—n Galactic Federation". One struck him with his rifle butt and he spat out teeth. His mother looked up…

She saw him. SAW him.

She smiled.

Ridley's mother held his father's hand tight, whispering something. And he saw his father smile too…

Just before the soldiers ended their lives and walked off for the exit of the colony, laughing.

Ridley tore up the air vent as he screamed in agony, wailing horribly as he crawled up to the surface of the planet. Rain fell down, harsh and bitter on his purple, scaly skin. He ran into the ship, banging on it with his fists. Suddenly he felt a set of familiar hands on his shoulders.

"Let's go. Inside. Before they see you." That commanding, firm voice.

Ridley bit and scratched, howling. But he went in.

Once inside, the man told him that he was the only survivor of the Nofair colony. He didn't think there were any other Space Dragons out there…it was possible, but unlikely, that he'd find other survivors. He'd been lucky.

As the spaceship whizzed away from Zebes, leaving the colony of Nofair behind, Ridley sobbed into his hands. The man sighed sadly and explained that he would have to drop Ridley off on a nearby space station. If he didn't head right back to Galactic Federation HQ, then the higher-ups would be suspicious. He told young Ridley to take care of himself, and above all…to live on and find a new life.

Ridley found himself asking a question in fury. "What's to stop me from killing you right now, you…you meat puppet!?!"

The man sighed. Then he spoke. "Nothing. You will probably be able to learn how to fly this ship…you seem very intelligent. You can always outrun the Federation until they decide to wait for you to die. But…I saved your life."

"Your Federation killed my parents. You took away everything from me."

"You would have died with them."

"I wish I had!" Ridley shouted. Suddenly he propelled himself across the ship, grabbing the man in his chair. "Why did you feel sorry for me!?!" He demanded, his breath harsh and stinking on the man's face as he gripped his shirt.

"Because I care." He said.

Ridley let go of him. "Fine." He mumbled, wiping tears away. "I'll…I'll leave you alone. I guess…I owe you. I won't go after you once I'm old enough, but don't think for one moment…" He clenched his fists as he walked over to a corner and sat down in it. "That I won't get my revenge. They'll pay…"

PRESENT…

"They'll pay…" Ridley said, as a single tear fell from his eyes. "I'll make them pay…for everything they took from me. For every member of my kind they murdered…I'll make them all pay…I swore it."

He had joined the Space Pirates soon after being dropped off at the space station. He didn't regret it. What he did regret a little was not getting to say goodbye to that man…somehow, he felt that the man had deserved it. But he didn't tell the kid this. Didn't tell the kid he was a Space Pirate, or that he had wanted to see the man once again. He didn't feel like it, he still was thinking about killing the boy later on.

"What was his name?" The kid asked Ridley. "That Federation Commander who saved you, what was his name?"

Ridley's tail curled open and closed over and over as he thought. His name…what had it-oh! Right!

"I think…it was Malkovich. Adam Malkovich."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

"Come on, keep moving." The kid said, his arm around Ridley's shoulder…or rather, his right arm, since Ridley was still taller and bigger than he was.

He and Ridley were making their way down the hallway of the space station, the kid going slowly so that Ridley wouldn't overexert himself. Ridley was frankly amazed that this kid cared so much. His original plan of burning the kid or snapping his neck was now moving far into the back of his mind. It felt…dishonorable to just kill someone who was saving his life and showing so much kindness. Just like…with Malkovich.

Still, although it was nice to have this kid taking care of him, there was Aran…she was still out there. And if the kid led her to him…he was dead meat. How to tell the kid that his mortal enemy was out there, looking to blow his scaly hide away? To finish the job? The kid trusted, actually TRUSTED him.

"Kid, er…I have a favor to ask."

"Sure. But you have to do me a favor first."

"What?"

The kid looked at Ridley, obviously intent on asking a question. When it came out: "You ever seen "Pulp Fiction"?"

Ridley blinked. "Wh-what? What on earth is that?"

"Okay, how about "Reservoir Dogs" then?"

"No." Ridley responded, a bit annoyed.

"Scarface!" The kid shouted.

"NO." Ridley growled. Suddenly the urge to whack the kid blared up.

"You ain't seen Scarface?"

"No." Ridley insisted, trying to resist the urge.

"Well neither have I." The kid admitted.

Ridley blinked. "Then why the hell ask me if I'd seen it?"

"It's a popular movie."

"Maybe back where you're from…I HAVE seen Star Wars. Good series."

"Ah, Star Wars. Classic." The kid admitted. "So I guess some things are universal."

"I suppose." Ridley admitted, shrugging. He instantly regretted it, pain shot up his left arm. He groaned. "Like…how…everyone knows "Cotton Eye Joe"."

"So it IS true! Cool." The kid said. "Anyhow, what I really wanna know is how'd you get so beat up?"

Crap. He KNEW it was going to come ot this. Ridley stammered. "Er-uh-well, you see, I was…was in this fight, and-and…"

"Oh. Okay." The kid said, and that seemed good enough for him. Ridley breathed a sigh of relief for that as they reached a door and opened it up.

"Aw, frack." The kid groaned.

There before them was a huge, monstrous cavern, with stalactites littered all over the ceiling, with several weird…things clinging near them. But what really caught their attention was the huge lake of acid in front of them all. There were several patches of ground floating in the lake, but they looked like they wouldn't take much weight. At the bottom of the platforms were the reason why they were floating: a strange bright blue crystalline sheet that twinkled gently in the light.

Blue Afluorite. Ridley gulped. The Alfuorite that he had already harvested was of a grey color…it was better material for fuel and such. Blue afluorite had originally been thought of to be of use to the Space Pirates, since it didn't react to extreme heat or lasers. However it DID react to organic substances like…say…flesh. If you TOUCHED it would begin to sear your skin, and then after ten seconds, it would explode. They went through 5 pirates before they'd figured it out.

"We don't dare touch that blue crystal" He told the kid. "But if we're going to get across this…we'll have to on top of that ground covering over it. I don't know if it'll support our weight though…"

"How much do you weigh?" The kid asked.

"…" Ridley looked a bit miffed at the question.

"Okay, sorry. I'm 175. I know, I know, I need to lose a little weight." The kid defended. "Don't worry…I'll get us over." He looked around the cavern. Was there anything else around here that could help?

Ridley looked at the thing on the ceiling and his eyes widened. It was an insectoid creature, with large pale blue eyes, green pincers for arms, and light brown talons that gripped into the ceiling. It's body was segmented with green armor and light brown flesh connecting the pincers to the main body. This was a Green Skree, a fairly common creature, it liked to attack people from above.

"That Skree up there." Ridley said, motioning with his head. His wounds were feeling a LITTLE better, but they still ached badly. "If we could somehow freeze it or such, we could…"

Suddenly it saw them and hissed. It was going to attack! The kid grinned, pulling out something from his backpack. "Oh that's not a good idea, bug-eyes!" He said, pulling out a strange weapon. It looked like a gun, it had a muzzle and a trigger and everything, but it was fairly tall and large, and had several buttons on its side. The kid pressed the first one. Then he grabbed Ridley around the waist, much to the dragon's surprise.

"Hold on tight and trust me." He told Ridley, aiming at the creature and firing the gun. An arrow-like point whizzed out from the muzzle, striking the Skree and going right through it, into the ceiling. The insect spat out green blood and began twitching, while Nick ran towards the end of the little piece of ground they were on, jumping. Ridley gasped, they were surely going to fall right…

But they didn't. They sailed through the air, landing on one of the platforms. The kid then ran forward and leapt off again, and landed on the NEXT platform. Then he leapt off of that and onto the next, running smoothly and not losing his pace. Finally he landed on the far end of the cavern, right in front of another sliding metal door. He pressed the button that he'd pressed before, letting go of Ridley. The arrow-point, Skree still attached, flew back to the gun. The point went into the gun, the Skree fell to the ground, quite dead, its bowels leaking out onto the ground.

"EWWWW." The kid remarked. "Let's get going then, shall we?"

He walked up to the door, pushing a smooth green button marked "Open" and motioning for Ridley to walk on through. Ridley blinked slowly. "How…did you do that?" He asked. "The odds that…that that would happen…"

"I've always been lucky. And today I had luck to share! Come on." He walked through the door, into the next hallway. "We should go find an escape pod. Good thing you trusted me, huh?"

"…right, right." Ridley remarked. Good idea, his ship was probably toasted by Samus by now…

Wait, was he AGREEING with the kid? Ridley shook his head as he walked down the dimly-lit hallway with the kid moving ahead. Why did he even _care_? He was going to kill the human later on…

Wasn't he?

"How did you crash here, anyway?" Ridley asked.

"I fell." The kid explained simply.

Ridley blinked in a stupid fashion. "You…fell."

"Right. Oh, hold on. I think I hear someone…"

He noticed suddenly that the kid had turned into another hallway, calling out "hello???". His eyes widened. If the kid alerted Samus Aran, he was doomed! He raised his tail behind him to strike, but then hesitated. The kid had saved him again…

"No witnesses…" Ridley told himself. Space Pirate society was harsh. Showing sympathy towards a victim was punishable by death. He couldn't allow himself to show mercy. "There can never be any…I have to-"

Then there was a shout. Ridley's eyes widened as the kid ran right back to him, grabbing his good arm. "Th-there's something in here…" He mumbled. "I-I saw something in here, it…it looked at me, it had this…this human shape…" He was shivering. "But it didn't have any features, no…no face, no nothing, just…black…"

Ridley looked skeptical. "What? A featureless phantom?"

"Y-yes, I…I've seen one just like it a long time ago, it…it was following me at night…"

Well THAT explained it. "Kid, you're afraid of the dark, aren't you?"

"No!" The kid defended, pulling away, shaking his head vigorously. "I used to be afraid of the night, but not anymore!"

Ridley scoffed. "There's no monsters here, except for me, anyway…you're just nervous because there's not much light, there's not too much air, and we're alone in a big, empty space station that was abandoned."

"Well, why was it abandoned?" The kid inquired.

Ridley suddenly looked dumbstruck. Why had it been abandoned again? He'd assumed it had been because the asteroid had struck it…but if that was true, then why hadn't the Federation ordered the place's destruction? They liked to clean up their messes, or rather, hire certain bounty hunters to do so. "Kid, there's nothing to be afraid of here." He still insisted, a bit annoyed. "Just because some of the lights are out is no reason to freak."

Then all of the lights suddenly died with a "FAWOOOOOOOM" as darkness permeated every space around the two…

"Do you believe in ghosts?" The kid asked.

Since he could see in the dark and wasn't nearly such a wuss, Ridley was about to snap something at the kid when suddenly he felt a terrible chill go through him as he heard faint, distant, shallow breathing that was coming closer as everything got very, VERY cold. "You know, I think it's okay to freak out now." Ridley agreed.

"Good, because I do believe in spooks, I do believe in spooks, I do, I do, I do…"

The two opened their mouths and screamed.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

"I know there's nothing out there." Ridley insisted as they made their way to an elevator at the end of the hallway.

"Uh, Ridley? Something brushed right by me."

"I think there's nothing out there…"

"It felt all smooth but kinda slimy…"

"I hope there's nothing out there…"

"Do you hear something breathing near?"

"Oh GOD there's something out there!" Ridley shouted, and the two ran into the elevator. Ridley pushed the button marked "Close" and the door closed behind him. He then pressed a random level button near the bottom and let out a sigh of relief as the elevator smoothly began moving. His wounds, incidentally, were getting much better. His wing still ached badly though…

"It's gonna get us, it's gonna get us…" The kid mumbled.

"Don't be ridiculous." Ridley said. "It's not going to get us. We're probably freaking out over nothing…I mean, there are no such things as ghosts!"

"There ARE such things as ghosts, I've seen them!" The kid insisted.

"Well there's no such things as faceless phantoms-"

Suddenly the elevator did the one thing that you pray in the back of your mind it won't do…free fall. It went roaring down, down. The kid grabbed onto Ridley, eyes wider than saucers. Ridley was afraid too…his wounds were just improving, this could seriously injure him. Still, he **had** to get out of there!

He jumped up and his claws raked against the ceiling of the elevator, ripping it off with a few good swipes. He quickly lowered his hands and cupped them. "Get on." He told the kid, who, seeing what Ridley was up to, nodded quickly and jumped onto the hands. Ridley lifted the kid up, then focused all his strength into his wings, praying that the one wounded wing he had wouldn't be too weak. He flapped up to the top of the elevator, then grabbed the kid and began flapping higher, higher, as the elevator rushed down to the bottom, coming to a huge CRASH, shattering into pieces.

Seeing an open door above them both, Ridley flapped his wings up to it, and fell through the opening, panting as he dropped the kid, who helped him up. When he saw the kid's expression, he blinked. It was a mixture of concern and disgust.

Then he realized why…his wing…his wounded wing was on fire. He turned and saw that he'd snapped a bone somehow, it…it was sticking OUT of the wing. He gasped horribly. "My-my wing…" The pain was intense.

The kid put his backpack down and rifled through it, pulling out what he needed from it. He lifted some gauze, a water bottle and some pills out. "Here, man." He said, handing Ridley the pills and the water bottle. He then reached back in and got some tape and antiseptic. "I'll try and treat it." Ridley took the pills and felt a blissful sleep invade him…

The kid groaned. He didn't want to admit it, but he could only patch it up…he didn't have any experience in mending wings. But…there HAD to be a medical wing around here which would have SOMETHING. This part of the place had a few dim lights on, but he could vaguely make out a sign about twenty yards away. He walked up to it and examined it. Odd symbols, words of a different language were all over it…but lo and behold, there was the universal sign recognized as a place for healing: the Red Cross symbol, with an arrow pointing far down the hallway, followed up by another arrow motioning for the one reading the sign to take a left.

Perfect. That place would surely have something that could help! The kid looked back at Ridley, who was mumbling in his sleep. "I'll be right back." He told him, hoping he would hear. He then bolted for the medical wing.

Meanwhile, Samus Aran was patching herself in the medical wing, her armor off, deactivated for now. She'd hurt her left arm and her abdomen during the fight with Ridley and was bandaging them up. She'd been surprised to see the space dragon here, but she'd proven stronger than him once again, thanks to her Super Missiles. Now then, once she'd finished fixing herself up, it would be mission time again.

Still, she thought, it would be a good idea to find Ridley first and to destroy him. She knew that the Space Pirates needed just a little bit of his DNA to regenerate him. If she could beat him here, obliterate him completely, it would finally be over. Although part of her would miss the rivalry a lot, she had too much hatred in her.

She could never forget what had happened…those horrible dreams at night…constantly reminding her…

What he'd done.

MANY YEARS AGO…

A much younger Samus Aran, age three, was playing in a lush forest. The sunlight gently filtered down through the tree branches, casting pretty patterns on the grassy ground around her. She whirled around, laughing lightly as the wind blew. Her pet, a furry mammal named Ponchi, hopped by her. It resembled a squirrel in its body, yet "Ponchi's" facial features were like that of a rabbit. It was chasing after her in a game of "tag".They reached a clearing in the woods and Samus turned to Ponchi, kneeling down. Ponchi grabbed her hands, pulling, as if saying "Gimme a ride, gimme a ride!".

Samus giggled. "Ha-ha! Ponchi, that tickles!" She lifted him up and cuddled him.

Suddenly strange noises caught her eye…she turned to her left and saw, far off in the distance, close to where her father and mother were working at the space colony center, a red hue, coming down from the sky like a strange reverse sunset…

No, it wasn't coming from the sky, it was coming out from the center, which was glowing brightly, it…

It exploded. Suddenly the shockwave of the explosion sent a huge wind whipping up, which rushed through the forest…

Wood, brush, dirt and leaves rushed by her as the world exploded, and she gripped Ponchi tightly, screaming…

She awoke from darkness, standing up. Ponchi stirred in her arms, gripping tightly to her in fear. She stood up, thinking only one thing…

What's happened to my mommy and daddy?

She bolted through the blown-down wreckage that had once been a thick forest and ran, ran, ran. Her legs ached as she ran towards shouting, screaming, war cries, as dust clouds blocked her view, keeping her from seeing many horrors that were all around her.

"Papa? Mama? Where…where are you?" She called out. Finally she saw something…

A huge dragon, sitting calmly, watching a large, very one-sided fight before him, a good distance away. He had his arms crossed and was surveying the scene, taking everything in. He had turned his head upon hearing Samus's voice though, and now turned his head on that long neck of his to get a good look at her. Ponchi tucked his head into her chest, shivering madly.

The dragon's wings flapped slightly, almost lazily. The two stared at each other, looking into each other's eyes. Blue into greenish/yellow, both curious in their own way. The dragon looked at her, tail twitching ever-so-slightly as Samus blinked a few times. The Chozo, the "Bird People" hadn't looked any weirder than this dragon, and "Bird Grandpa" had been nice.

The dragon suddenly heard a being approach. He turned his head. Samus noticed the being too, it looked like an overgrown insect. It had a shelled body and head, big, glass-like eyes, and two crab-like claws for hands, with taloned feet. It had a slightly annoying, squeaky voice, though…which kind of made it seem less freaky and dangerous. Apparently it was a grunt soldier of some kind…Samus had no idea what a "Space Pirate" was yet, she did not know what that thing was doing here, otherwise she would have run for her life.

"Sir Ridley!" The grunt reported, snapping at attention. "We've captured their bases. We're boarding the transport now."

The dragon, "Ridley", grinned. "Good." He remarked, his voice surprisingly colorful. The grunt nodded, then walked off.

"You're R-Ridley?" Samus asked. The dragon turned its head around slightly, craning his neck to get an even better look at her. His tail curled slightly as he looked at her. "I-I'm Samus…t-three years old…" She stammered. She was very afraid, her mother and father were gone, there was smoke and screams all around, and she'd been very shaken up by the explosion.

The dragon turned his body to face her, looking right down at her, blinking slowly.

"Ridley, I'm not scared…it'll all be okay…" Samus insisted, tears coming to her eyes. She smiled in a friendly, yet sad fashion. "Even though we look different…we're friends, right?" She asked, eyes pleading for some kindness.

The dragon looked at her with an expression of genuine pity, frowning lightly.

"Hmm. Can't have a cute girl around…" Ridley said softly to himself. "We just can't!!" He insisted, shaking his head sadly.

"How come…?" Samus asked, cradling Ponchi again. She didn't understand. Why was he-

Ridley's eyes suddenly became steely, cruel. "Time for you to disappear!!" He roared. He drew himself to full height, claws and wings held high, tail whipping behind him as he lunged. Samus screamed in fright, drawing back, but it was no use, she was a little girl, and he was far faster than she was-

"Samus!?" Her mother's voice, calling out, running to her. Samus turned her head just in time to see Virginia bolting towards her, her ponytail flapping in the wind as she ran to her child.

"Ah, Mama!" Samus yelled, eyes widening. Her mom was okay! That was some relief.

Ridley looked at the woman who had just appeared. He looked from her to Samus, then back to the woman. "Virginia Aran…" He whispered, just loud enough for Samus to hear. "Wife of the head commander here at K2-L…well, well…"

"You stay away from my daughter, you monster!" Virginia shouted, rushing in front of Samus, who backed away quickly.

Ridley began laughing. Then his eyes became steely again. "We will take that aflourite reserve!" He hissed. "Everything will BURN!" Upon that last word, his jaws opened, and a huge, sharp beam of flame erupted from within, shooting forth, and…

Engulfing Virginia Aran, who screamed, her pitch louder even than Samus, who yelled out "MAMA!" with a horrible wail, falling to her knees. But at that moment that he fired, Ridley heard a loud explosion and turned to see his ship, where the afluorite had been taken, burning up into wreckage, as it fell to the ground.

"What? Why's my ship burning!?" He exclaimed. Flames erupted before him as the ship hit the ground, and everything within it came to an end, including not only the precious afluorite, but most of his men. "IS THIS SOME KIND OF JOKE!?" He bellowed as the flames licked up into the sky…

Samus, meanwhile, was curled up in a ball, holding tightly onto her knees as Ponchi sat near her, trying to comfort her by nuzzling her. It wasn't working. Her mother's ashes were spread out far into the air, some had even gotten in Samus's hair…she didn't notice. She kept sobbing. Suddenly she felt vibrations as something approached her from behind…she turned around slightly, eyes brimming with tears that fell thick and rapidly to the ground.

Ridley's eyes gazed down at her. His tail had circled her, and was wrapping around her, drawing her slowly towards him. Soon she was on her bottom, facing him, yet still sobbing. Only this time, she didn't even look away from him. Finally she gave in and fell back to the ground, wailing horribly. Ponchi hopped over, nudging her gently.

She suddenly felt something lift her chin up. She looked into Ridley's eyes once more as a single claw held her chin up, careful not to draw blood.

What happened next, she wasn't sure of…but she did remember the Chozo finding her, taking her in…giving her a home.

But now they were gone too. The colony that Samus had spent so much of her life at with her "grandpa" had come under attack by Space Pirates, just like her original home. And by the same monster…

She was alone.

Alone.

And those dreams would not go away.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

Samus brushed some tears away with her arm. Somehow, she found herself missing Ponchi. Or maybe not Ponchi so much as how things had been going so wonderfully before…before…

"You b—stard…" She growled softly. She could never forget what he'd done. Ridley would pay. She'd never told Ridley that it had been HER, HER who's mother he'd murdered, that it had been HER home he'd led that attack on…did he know? Maybe, maybe not…it didn't matter. Ridley…that foul, that evil…

"Oh!" An almost melodramatic voice suddenly got her attention. She turned around quickly, pulling out a laser pistol from her holster. A hostile?

No, a kid. A human youth.

"Hi." The kid said. He had a very friendly voice. "Are you one of the crew?" He asked her.

Samus put her gun away. She shook her head. "No. I take it from your attire you're not either. I'm Samus Aran."

"Oh!" The kid blinked a few times. "Cool! I've heard of you. You're supposed to be the best bounty hunter in the universe!" He exclaimed. He was wearing a backpack, and he took it off, taking out a notepad and a pen. "Can I have your autograph, Lady Aran?"

Samus looked a bit nervous. "Well, thanks…" She said, blushing. Nice kid. She wrote up her name on it and handed to him. He put it back in his backpack, noticing her wounds.

"_Oh_! Lady Aran, you okay?" He asked.

"…I will be." She said simply. "I've gotten much, MUCH worse."

"If you, uh, don't mind me asking…"

"How'd I get the wound?" Samus finished for him. She brushed her hair back slightly as her long blond hair fell down around her. "Well, I was investigating the space station here. I was assigned by the Federation to do a mission to check the place out and see if there was anything left here that could be used."

The kid scratched his head. "Okay, so what happened?"

Samus sighed. "I was attacked. I was travelling through the hallways when-"

Suddenly the lights went out, and everything became black. Samus instinctively uttered a command to her suit: "Power Code: NARPAS SWORD, activate!"

Instantly her suit fused with her, glowing slightly before fading to its normal color. The kid looked very scared. "Not again!" He whimpered. "This is the second time it's happened here! This place is jinxed!"

Samus smirked behind her visor. "Kid, relax. There's nothing out there."

"…do you believe in ghosts?"

"Yes…but there weren't any life signs on this space station when I scanned it upon arriving her-"

She stopped speaking. Her ship's computer, ADAM, had indeed scanned the place and had not found anyone. However…Ridley had been here, and the kid was here too! So if his scanners had somehow missed them, then what else had it missed?

At that moment, the kid let out a sigh. "It's a good thing you're right next to me, otherwise I'd be freaking out. This place is too lonely…"

Samus's words were slow and steady, yet filled with a sense of dread. "Kid…I'm a good ten feet away from you…" And to prove it, she turned on her visor light.

The kid bolted past her and out the door on the other side. Samus looked at where he'd been…

Nothing. Odd. Yet…it was COLD in here all of a sudden. Very odd. She shrugged. "I'll need to adjust the temperature settings at the main control room." She thought to herself, walking out the door, looking down the hallway. The kid was gone.

"Poor kid…hope he'll be okay." She thought.

Meanwhile…

Ridley's mind went back to that one day. He tossed and turned in his sleep, dreaming of that raid on K-2L…

He observed the easy battle of his forces against the humans here. Some of the resisters were actually doing well, which he admired, but the rules of the Space Pirates always ensured one thing: victory. At least, back then, that's what it meant. Before that d—n meddling bounty hunter came into their lives.

No mercy towards those that resist. No cowardice. Speak freely if you wish…if you're brave enough to, and strong enough to endure the pain that might follow. All in the name of becoming the greatest organization in the universe, to ascend to that level…to be known across the galaxy as the ones who had ascended beyond the level of any species. All for power…power enough to bring God down to Earth, to ascend to His level-

"Mama? Papa? Where-where are you?" A young, sweet voice called out. Ridley turned around and looked at what was speaking…a human child, a girl. She was clutching onto a small furry mammal, and both were obviously scared. The girl looked into Ridley's eyes with her pretty blue ones, eyes filled with curiosity. How odd that a little girl would be here, he thought to himself.

Suddenly one of his men approached him, standing at a salute. And he brought very good news: "Sir Ridley, we've captured their bases. We're boarding the transports now."

"Good." Ridley said, grinning. He was pleased. The Afluorite was theirs, he thought. The grunt walked off to help to bring more Alfuorite into Ridley's ship.

"You're R-Ridley?" The girl asked tentatively. Ridley craned his neck around to get a full look at her. "I-I'm Samus…t-three years old…"

Ridley turned to face her fully, looking down at her, gazing purposefully.

"Ridley…I'm not scared, it'll all be okay…" She spoke, tearing up. "Even though we look different…we're friends, right?" She asked, trying to smile.

Those eyes…pleading, begging for a kind word, desperate for someone to help her.

Ridley looked at little Samus, suddenly feeling pity rise up in him. Poor girl. Her mother and father were probably already dead…she was alone in the world. Poor thing. So small, so innocent…

But he was leader of the Space Pirates…and she was a witness. A child, true, but a witness nonetheless.

"Hmm." He thought out loud, speaking softly. "Can't have a cute girl around." He insisted to himself. "We just can't!!" He shook his head sadly.

Samus looked puzzled. "Why not?" She asked innocently.

Ridley suppressed his feelings from before and his eyes became steely. There could be no other way. "Time for you to disappear!" He roared, rushing forward, aiming to annihilate her in an instant. She tried to get away, but all she could do was stumble back. But before he could bring his claws down, a shout rang out. "Samus!?"

"Ah, Mama!" Samus yelled, turning her head to face a beautiful woman with her hair in a ponytail.

Ridley looked from her to the new woman. He recognized that face…he'd seen it on a computer file related to the main commander of the K-2L base, Rodney Aran. This was Virginia Aran, Rodney's wife.

Ridley allowed a small smile to seep onto his face. "Virginia Aran…wife of the head commander here at K2-L…well, well…"

"You stay away from my daughter, you monster!" Virginia shouted, rushing in front of Samus, who backed away quickly. The woman stretched out her arms, eyes filled with courage.

How noble, he thought. But foolish. He laughed, throwing back his head, then became all business once again. "We will take that aflourite reserve!" He hissed at her. "Everything will BURN!" Upon that last word, he opened his mighty jaws and belched out flame upon Mrs. Aran. Just before it hit, he thought he saw Samus's eyes widen. The flames hit Virginia Aran, who screamed horribly, even more so than Samus, who yelled out "MAMA!" with a horrible wail, falling to her knees. But at that moment that he fired, Ridley heard a loud explosion…and just barely, a cry to the heavens.

It sounded like…

"I LOVE YOU! SAMUS!"

Ridley urned to see his ship, where the Aluorite had been stored, burning up into slag as it fell to the ground like a meteor!

"What? Why's my ship burning!?" He exclaimed, shocked. How on Earth? Flames erupted before him as the ship hit the ground, and everything within it came to an end, including not only the precious afluorite, but most, if not all, of his men. He clenched his claws into the ground, furious. "IS THIS SOME KIND OF JOKE!?" He bellowed as the flames licked up into the sky…

He then remembered turning to look at Samus, who was weeping, ash all around and upon her, her little pet trying to comfort her. He walked slowly towards her, curling his tail around her, putting her in front of him. She looked up into his eyes briefly, then sobbed into the ground.

He found himself lowering his body, reaching out. One claw lifted her chin up, and he gazed into her tearing, sobbing eyes. She'd lost everything. He knew it. And later, it would be confirmed when he read the Federation reports on the dead: it had been her father who had been responsible for the destruction of his ship, his men and the Afluorite.

What had he said? What had he done? Hadn't he killed her? So surely, the Samus he knew could not, would never be the one he'd-

"AAA!!!"

A shout woke him up, he jumped to his feet, realizing that the kid was running back to him, screaming. "IT'S GONNA KILL US AAAALLLLL!" He was shouting.

Ridley immediately felt the urge to stab the kid with his tail, but he had to admit, he'd been nervous for a long time. There definitely felt like there was something out there…

"What is it?" He asked as the kid ran up to him, panting.

"It…it was right next to me, it touched me, it felt all smooth and everything…"

Then it happened. The lights went out again. Ridley's eyes narrowed. What was going on?

He got his answer when a suit-wearing familiar face appeared at the far, far end of the hallway they were in. Odd though, she was all in black. Samus Aran, of course. Trying to drive them insane.

"That's it, I'm sure of it…" the kid muttered.

Wait…Ridley looked Samus over. Her suit was black, her visor pale blue…the one "pale blue eye" the kid had mentioned. It did look featureless from a distance, but upon closer inspection it resembled her power suit in every way, save for…for clawed hands…

Wait a minute. Clawed hands. Black suit. Pale blue visor…

He'd read the reports by his men. This was NOT a phantom. It was worse.

Dark Samus…


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

"Dark Samus…pathetic copy of a pathetic excuse for a human." Ridley snapped quickly, angrily.

Dark Samus crossed her arms and tilted her head. She was examining them both. Finally she burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" The kid asked, a bit put off.

"A weak little boy and a crippled dragon. Trying to take ME on. That's what is so funny." Dark Samus snickered.

"I can still burn you!" Ridley screeched, jaws opening. He felt a familiar, warm tingly feeling as flame shot forth from his jaws, barreling down the hallway towards Dark Samus, who…yawned. The flames did nothing.

"Thanks, I was a bit chilly." She snickered. "Now stay still as I corrupt and absorb you." She crooned. "Becoming part of my godhood should be an honor for a warrior as great as yourself…"

Ridley looked nervous. He wasn't in the best condition to fight, and the kid couldn't…

Suddenly he noticed the kid had taken out the gun from before. "Stay back!" He barked. It had a definite threatening tone in it. "I'll blow your brains out!"

Dark Samus began chuckling as she advanced slowly, menacingly, like a cat stalking its prey. "You're not going to hurt me with that little pea-shooter…"

The kid's finger moved up to a button on the gun. It was bright blue. He pressed it, and the gun began to whine in a high-pitched tone.

"I SAID STAY BACK!" He shouted over the whine.

Dark Samus kept advancing. "Shooting me won't help you, I've brought help with me to ensure that "Sammy" won't-"

That was as far as she got. Being propelled back slightly by the force of the blast from the gun's muzzle, a blue orb of plasma energy shot out from it, about half a foot in length and width, shimmering gently. It whizzed through the air and struck Dark Samus on her visor. The visor shattered into pieces, and as she fell back Ridley saw the face of Dark Samus, so much like Aran herself, only inverted in color, frighteningly cold eyes and black skin…

The kid and the space dragon bolted down the hallway, into a nearby door. The kid shoved several chairs in front of it and then a table while Ridley ran for the back door of the room they were in, opening it up.

He was greeted by none other than the very space pirates he hadn't expected to come for him for at least another hour or so. Hope filled him. "You came! I was worried-"

Suddenly hope became horror when he saw their empty eyes and the unearthly glowing of a black aura around their armored bodies. They had been corrupted by Dark Samus…infected with a deadly and mysterious element known as Phazon, which Dark Samus used as both a weapon and a power source.

"We have been chosen!" They screeched, diving for him. He slammed the door shut again and soon both the dragon and the kid heard banging on both of their doors. It was simply a matter of who would come in first.

The kid leveled his gun at the door, looking brave. "This…this would be a good way to die I guess…" He thought out loud. "Fighting something as twisted as that thing…"

Maybe it would have been…but it didn't need to happen. Because suddenly there came a horrible series of shouts and pleas from Ridley's door, followed by the unmistakable whine of missile and the KRA-SPLAK of Space Pirate guts. The door slid open. Both the kid and the dragon gaped as they stared at who was there.

Samus Aran leveled her buster at them…

KAWOOSH! BLAM!

A missile erupted from her buster, going past them narrowly and striking Dark Samus, who had just tried to enter the room. Her armored body was flung into the wall across from them, and she slid down, groaning in pain. Samus nodded at them both. "Let's talk somewhere ELSE. Move it, move it!"

Soon they found themselves hiding inside of a small room, a storage closet of sorts. Samus was panting, out of breath and tired. "There are…there are corrupted Space Pirates all throughout the space station." She told them. "Worse still, my ship…"

"What about your ship?" Ridley wanted to know.

WHAT INDEED:

Samus opened up the communication systems with ADAM, her computer's main intelligence. "ADAM, we need to get out of here. I've been followed by-"

"Hey Sammy girl! If you're hearing this, it means I hacked into your computer and sent far away enough from the space station so that you can't reach it with your little suit, but close enough so you can see it by looking out a window!"

Samus's ears were ringing with the mocking voice of Dark Samus as she turned to look out the nearest window. There, floating very far away, was her ship.

"Have a nice day." Dark Samus finished, snickering.

Samus promptly began swearing in Galactic and Basic, a potent mixture. She also slipped in a few Chozo swears as well.

PRESENT:

"She is SUCH a b---h!" Samus growled.

"Watch your mouth." The kid said.

Ridley groaned. "Now is NOT the time for quibbling, ladies." He snickered at his little joke. "Now unless you all want to get found by that creepy copy, I would suggest that we come up with a PLAN."

"And fast."

"Yes, since she could be here at any-"

"No, because this space station is collapsing into a black hole in an hour." Samus muttered.

"WHAT?!?" The other two shouted.

"I did some searching when I got here, checking through the space station records." Samus admitted. "The research here was on black hole generation. They had to abandon it, and the Federation decided that the whole idea was too risky, so the project lost its funding. Then they just forgot about it…until recently."

"Wait…how can a black hole be generated HERE? There isn't enough power on his hulk!" Ridley protested. "Even with all the afluorite in the core of this asteroid, they wouldn't be able to-"

"If they combined it with phazon…" Samus said quietly.

Suddenly it dawned on Ridley. Dark Samus generated phazon like it was nothing. She could make a black hole…she WAS making a black hole.

"We only have an hour?" Ridley croaked.

"Less than. 45 minutes, really. After leaving the medical wing and accessing the ship's records in the computer database down the hall, I checked the space station's cameras…the generators in the central storage area are going full blast. We might even have less than 45 minutes."

"44 now." The kid said. "Well, come on. We've got to get to an escape pod then!"

"Oh, probably…" Ridley remarked. Suddenly he pinned Samus down beneath him, cackling. She struggled uselessly as his claws dug into her armor. "AFTER I kill her. She's been a thorn in my side for too long. Now it's time I killed her." He grinned. "Since you were nice enough to knock down your stupid copy long enough to give us time to escape, and since we're such old friends, I'll just rip your throat out and that'll be it…"

Suddenly there was a hand clenching into his shoulder. He turned around. The kid was glaring into his eyes, hazel into yellow green. "You are NOT hurting Samus." The kid said. "This isn't the time and place for a vendetta!"

"I've waited too long…" Ridley hissed. "You have no idea what she's-"

"YES I DO." The kid growled. "I know who you are, Ridley! I always knew! You're a space pirate! You fought Samus a bunch of times! You even got mechanical parts drafted to you because she beat you so badly once!"

Ridley blinked slowly. Suddenly he felt a chill go through him. "You…you knew? All along?" He whispered. "Then…then why did you…help…me?"

"Because I couldn't just leave you to die." The kid said. "That wouldn't have been the right thing."

"But…why didn't you ask me who I was?" Ridley asked, voice still hoarse. Samus looked up at him, confused. "Why didn't you tell me you knew who I was?" Ridley went on.

The kid let go of him and thrust his hands into his pockets, kicking the ground. "I…was kinda hoping you would tell me yourself. I trusted you to tell me."

For once, Ridley had nothing to say. He slowly got off Samus, and looked at the kid. Guilt filled him up. "Nick, I…" He found himself saying. The kid looked up at him, hopeful "I…I'm…"

Then a clawed fist burst through the door like it was confetti, and they all jumped in fright as Dark Samus stuck her head in through the opening she'd punched in. "Well, well…three little birdies, itching to fly…"

They noticed suddenly that she didn't have the helmet on. She looked too much like Samus…it was creepy.

"G-go away." The kid stuttered. "Or else."

Dark Samus walked into the room, ripping the door to pieces. Ridley and Samus backed away as the kid spread himself in front of them in a desperate attempt to stop Dark Samus.

"What was that? "Go away or else"? How unoriginal. I'm NOT going to go away, little boy!"

Ridley noticed the kid's hands were clenched into fists. Suddenly he realized the kid was going to attack…

The kid turned around briefly and said one thing: "Trust me, guys."

Neither Ridley nor Samus could have been able to see what was happening next. The kid leapt at Dark Samus, who tried to grab him, succeeding in grabbing his shoulder. She flung him behind her, and turned to kill Ridley and Samus, laughing as her buster charged. Then the kid leapt up from behind Dark Samus, much to Ridley and Samus's surprise.

And his teeth bit deep into Dark Samus's neck.

She howled as black blood…or was it phazon?...dripped out onto the ground around, no, GUSHED out like a geyser. It was a horrible sight. The kid, gnawing into her neck, managed to mumble out a "RUN" to them as he tackled her to the ground, not letting go of Dark Samus's neck, clinging tightly onto her. Ridley and Samus took his advice and bolted out the door past him, running, running, running…

They ran right into Space Pirates.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

"…"

"…"

"…hey."

"…what."

"TRY and perk up." Ridley told her. "I don't really enjoy seeing you this afraid and beaten…not unless it's by ME."

Ridley and Samus had been imprisoned in a cell in the space station's brig after being beaten and bruised badly by a furious Dark Samus. The kid had apparently not done enough. Dark Samus had then laughed in their bleeding faces before grabbing them both and tossing them rudely into their cell, explaining calmly that they were going to die in half an hour when the black hole came into being. Then once it did come into being, it would blink out a moment later, it's power source gone.

No evidence of any crime. No witnesses. A perfect double-murder as it were. Then the "dark god" laughed cruelly and had spat on Samus, walking away while the cell doors locked and became electro-charged so as to keep them from escaping. Samus's power suit had no power, she felt almost naked in there. She couldn't move at all, she was so…so tired. Ridley's wings were broken…BOTH of them. It looked beyond awful.

Ridley was staring intently at Samus, who looked down at the floor, motionless in her actions. Inside, her mind was whizzing at a million miles a minute, thinking a dozen different things every second. But the one thought that kept popping up, as utterly clichéd as it was, was that one line you always hear and think "I'll never say THAT".

"I can't believe I'm going to die a virgin." Samus whined.

Ridley's eyes narrowed slightly at her. Then he smiled in a sort of sad fashion. "Aw, such a pity…" He suddenly held her close, hugging her gently. "There, there. It'll all be over soon." He told her sympathetically. "I made a little promise to myself, that only **I** would be the one to kill you."

Samus immediately shivered in fear. Yet the feel of his arms holding her was…comforting. And his voice was kind.

"I'll be kinder than the black hole, Samus. But you said you were a virgin, eh? Well, I can help you with THAT part…"

"Get away from me, you sick-" Samus suddenly spat, shoving him away and crawling back, a second wind filling her. Ridley advanced, laughing.

"Ha-ha-ha! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha…I it's just like I said before: I think we both always knew it would end in like this: with you defenseless, naked, alone…with ME." He whispered. His claws itched for action. "You should thank me; I'm doing you a favor, killing you quickly. Death by black hole…that's very unpleasant, getting stretched and crushed, your every atom screaming in pain…"

"Stay back!" Samus shouted.

"You're not naked, but I can fix that…"

He began to slowly remove her armor with his claws, cackling. He would save her helmet for last, so that he could see her eyes before he had his way with her naked body. Finally only her helmet was left, and ooh, no zero suit beneath! Only underwear and a bra! Such fine breasts too. He'd have to spend at least ten minutes on those, he thought to himself.

But first, the helmet. Ridley reached down and lifted the helmet off, letting it drop out of his hands onto the ground, eagerly anticipating the look of fear in what he imagined her eyes would look like, wondering what hair color she was, and most of all, how to savor her body as he forced himself on her. Oh, to thrust inside her and make her scream as he placed seed within her…

But the moment he dropped the helmet away to the ground, and looked into those eyes…

"It's you." He croaked. There was no mistaking those eyes. "That girl from K2-L…"

"You would never admit it to yourself, would you!?" Samus growled at him. "You must have known, deep down, but you would have never admitted it! You would never want to admit that you had created your own worst enemy when you orphaned me!" She spat at him. "You **murdered** my mother! My dad died blowing himself up to stop **your** men…and you were about to kill me! I was just three years old, I only wanted to be your friend…and you tried to **murder** me!"

Ridley looked down at Samus and blinked slowly. Finally he sighed.

"There can never be any witnesses." He said softly. "Never. That's the law of the space pirates. No mercy, no pity towards those we fight against. The only kindness we can grant is a glorious death in battle." He tapped her chest with one claw. "Like the one I always planned to give you. I couldn't have let you go, and I can't let you go now."

He grabbed her by the chest and pinned her to the ground with his claws, chuckling. "Now, now, it's for the best…" He insisted. "You're nothing more than prey now, just as you always have been."

"God is watching." A solemn, hoarse voice said.

Ridley immediately blinked, freezing up. Suddenly the words came tumbling out; "Okay, I admit it, I actually want to put you out of your misery because you're a d—n good rival…you always have been!"

Samus looked at him, surprised. "Really? Thanks…I guess…"

Ridley got off of her. His wings were beyond hurting. They were shattered. His pride was almost just as wounded. Still, he had enough decency in him to say what he then said. "…besides…" He began. And then, he repeated those words he'd said just before he'd flapped off to leave Samus alone on K2-L, the last words she would hear him speak as a child…

"You've suffered enough." He admitted.

"…" Samus didn't say or do anything at first. But then she nodded in a respectful manner.

Ridley's claws tore at the floor beneath him. "Still, that whole "God is watching" thing shouldn't work!" He grumbled out loud.

"Well it does." The voice from earlier said simply.

Suddenly Ridley and Samus realized that they had heard this voice before, and not just five minutes before either. They turned to the wall on the right and put their ears up to the wall, calling out "NICK?"

"Hey guys…" The kid groaned back. "Glad…you're okay. Too bad you're…locked up like me. This…sucks out loud…"

"You managed to actually survive?" Ridley yelled out. Woah, the kid was TOUGH. This moved him up a notch in Ridley's book.

"…barely…" The kid said. "Kept holdin' on…didn't let go for what seemed to be ages. But those creepy crustaceans found me and pulled me off. Still…I got her good, you should-should have seen her mug…she punched me hard. I vomited on the ground, she punched me so hard I CHUCKED, heh-heh-OOGH!" He suddenly groaned and there came the unmistakable sound of more puking. "Ugh…ohh…stomach's still sore…don't suppose you got a plan for getting outta here, guys?"

Samus and Ridley looked at each other. They didn't have a plan. "No." Samus reluctantly called back.

"Well…good thing I do…" The kid said. "My cell…there's a hole in the wall…"

They looked down. Sure enough, there was a fairly big hole there. The kid went on. "There's a sink in your cell, I saw it…and the door to my cell…there's a large enough space between it and the ground. I got an idea…here…"

He tossed something through the hole. It was a fistful of coins. "Put…one of the coins in the sink…" He told Samus.

Samus understood. "And flood the cell! Right!" She went up to the sink and put a well-fitting coin inside the sink drain. Then she turned the sink on and waited. Slowly but surely the water rose and then the question arose:

"How are we gonna get their attention?" Ridley asked.

Good point, they all realized. "Maybe we could bang on the walls?"

"Won't…work." Nick mumbled.

"Ridley, any ideas?" Samus asked the space dragon.

"…I could try roaring, but they'd probably just ignore it. I got nothing."

Then the kid suddenly shouted out, as loud as he could…

**"HEY! SAMUS ARAN TOOK OFF HER SUIT AND IS TAKIN' OFF HER BRAAAA!!!"**

THAT did it. About a dozen Space Pirates could be heard, shouting "Oh boy, boobies" and other such lovely little comments, proving the old adage that not all blondes are dumb, but men will always be men. The first one, who had the key to Samus's cell, didn't slip, and when he opened the cell door to check…

"Hey, you've still got your armor-"

The others however, DID slip. And right into him. All of them collapsed on the ground, moaning and groaning. Ridley calmly walked out and made short work of them, feeling no pity as his claws found their throats. Samus watched as he crushed one's head beneath his talons and then grabbed one by the head, slamming the begging space pirate into the floor over and over until he was unconscious. She picked up the keycard that the space pirate had dropped and walked over to Nick's cell, breaking him out.

The kid was badly bruised all over, but still very alive. He had bruises lining up and down his arms and chest, a black eye, and his clothing had been torn. He grinned at Samus. "Hey Sam…thanks." After leaving the room, they both saw what Ridley was up to…

He had raised the space pirate to his beaked jaws and was now crunching away. With every new mouthful, crunchy meat slid down his throat, and occasionally he'd spit out some shell of whatever was left of the space pirate. Finally he tossed the lower torso and the legs of the space pirate up into the air, and let it fall down into his gullet as he gulped the remains down eagerly. With a final gulp, the space pirate became food for Ridley, who burped slightly. He looked at Samus, instantly wondering what she and the kid had thought.

The kid had vomited again. Samus looked disgusted. He didn't care. "Let's go." He told them. "I'm not staying around here."

The three of them ran down the hallways as fast as they could, the kid occasionally stopping to catch his breath, seeing as he HAD just vomited. Then suddenly he stopped and turned toward a doorway. "My backpack!" He shouted, running through. Samus groaned. "Kid, leave it behind-"

Nick exited the room just as quickly as he'd entered it, shaking his head. "No way. My backpack is special. I've had it for two years now, and it's always served me well. I'm not gonna abandon it any more than you'd abandon your ship."

Samus blinked a few times. "Huh?"

"Besides, I left my gun and my "Complete Idiot's Guide to The Bible" in here. Didn't wanna leave those behind."

Samus shrugged. "Whatever. Let's keep moving."

"What, you don't believe in God?"

Samus shook her head. "I'm agnostic."

Nick sighed as he walked past her. "Well, okay. Your choice I guess."

Finally they saw it at the end of a hallway…sweet, sweet freedom! The escape pods were just there…

And so was Dark Samus, standing right in front of it, grinning evilly behind her fixed helmet and visor.

"Aw, leaving so soon? But the party JUST started! Ha-ha-ha-ha!"


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

Ridley groaned. They did NOT have time for this. But what could they do? They couldn't outrun her…couldn't outfight her…could they?

The kid seemed to think so. He pointed at Dark Samus. "Step aside, you…you BITCH." He snarled. Coming from his mouth, it had a bitter sting.

But Dark Samus simply laughed. "Ha-ha-ha-ha! Why would I want to do that?" She stepped forward slowly, clenching and unclenching her claws. "I was hoping you would escape, really. I wanted to be the one to kill you, Aran."

"The only person who will kill Aran is ME!" Ridley snarled. Suddenly he belched forth flame from his mouth, and it flew in a straight shot, hitting Dark Samus on the chest. She fell back, cursing, her armor had gotten weaker thanks to the boy. The kid took the chance and ran forward, grappling with her. "RUN, GUYS!" He shouted. They did, brushing past him and Dark Samus. Samus took a look behind her as the kid suddenly kicked Dark Samus away and to the ground, then bolted after them towards the escape pod. Dark Samus growled in fury.

"You little brat! I'm going to-"

She suddenly gasped. The alarms of the space station were blaring…the black hole generator was at full capacity and was working its magic. She had to leave, NOW. Granted, the black hole would only be up and running for the briefest of moments before it destroyed the very thing generating it, but that was still no reason to stick around! If she wasn't out of the space station in time, she would be sludge. Snarling a vow of revenge against all three of them, she ran down a different hallway, heading for a different escape pod.

As our threesome approached the escape pod door, they realized something. This was it. They had made it. They were free.

"Finally, I can finish my trip!" The kid laughed.

"Where are you going, anyway?" Samus asked.

"I'll tell you all about it sometime." The kid told her.

**BGM: Hold on Hope, by Guided by Voices**

Ridley turned and looked at Samus as she pressed the "open" button for the door. "…Samus." He said.

She turned to him. "What?" She asked. And this time, she didn't snap at him.

"I…want to say…thanks." He managed to get out. "For…for your help."

Samus looked into his eyes and saw he was being true. He was grateful. She nodded, and held out her hand. Ridley looked at it…then shook it slowly. "Thanks yourself." She said. "You know…you're not just another space pirate I need to kill." She admitted. "I think…that you're also a d—n good rival."

Ridley blinked a few times. Then he gave them an unmistakable smile. "…thank you."

The kid looked around. "Normally I like watching this sort of thing, and encourage it…but now's not the time. That black hole's gonna pop up any moment! You guys gotta get moving outta here."

"You don't seem too worried about being caught in it." Ridley commented.

"Yeah…why not, kid?" Samus asked.

"There's always the smallest of chances that a black hole won't kill a person, right? That it'll take them to a different place? A different time even?" The kid asked. "At least, that's what I've heard."Samus nodded, then shrugged. "Yeah, but…it's not likely. It's a one in a million chance!"

"Well, everyone has to hope, don't they? Hope is the basis of trust sometimes." He said in a fashion that made Samus and Ridley look at him in a way they hadn't before. There was…something different about this kid.

_Look at the talk box…in new frustration…at the station…there…__riiides__ the __cowbooooy__…_

The door opened. Samus gasped. This wasn't good. It was too small, too small! It wouldn't fit them all. She took a step in and looked around. Ridley peeked his head in. It was a small, closet-like room with two large windows on each side, one facing the station, one facing outer space. There was a small cupboard with some supplies inside, and two chairs of sorts on each side of the room.

_Look at the talk box…in new frustration…at the station…there…__riiides__ the __cowbooooy__…_

"We're not gonna fit in he-" She began to say.

_His campfire flickering…on the landscape!_

Suddenly she was shoved in hard, as Ridley smacked into her. "Hey! What gives?!" She shouted. Suddenly she saw a look in his eyes, one of horrified realization. And when she turned to face the doorway…

_Nothing grows on…but time still goes on…through each life of misery…_

The kid had shoved Ridley in and shut the door…and the escape pod was detaching from the space station.

And it couldn't be re-attached.

_Everybody's gotta hold on hope! It's the last thing…that's holding me!_

_"NICK!"_ She screamed, banging her fists on the door as the pod floated into space, towards her ship. Ridley stared out through the window at the kid, who smiled at them. Ridley pulled Samus back as she yelled out "NO! NICK! YOU CAN'T!"

_Everybody's gotta hold on hope! It's the last thing…that's holding me!_

The boy raised his pointer and middle finger of his right hand in a salute. Samus struck the door over and over again, yelling, pleading, sobbing, while Ridley slowly raised his own hand, saluting back.

_Everybody's gotta hold on hope! It's the last thing…_

The kid tilted his head slightly, closing his eyes and beaming. "Heh." He said.

_That's holding me!_

And then…there was only a small black dot where a space station had been. And then a moment later, nothing at all. The black hole was gone as quickly as it had appeared.

(Music ends.)

"…thanks…Nick…" Ridley said softly.

Samus Aran felt the tears hit the inside of her visor. She did not take off her helmet. And she did not get up until they had finally gotten within docking distance of her ship.

They docked with her ship. Neither of them said anything as they set a course for a refueling station several dozen light-years away. Even when Samus fixed up his wings on his quick request they said nothing. Finally they reached the station. As her ship docked, Ridley left the ship with a disguise and a polite nod, then disappeared into the dark folds of the station's inner area. Samus watched him leave, not moving.

Ridley found himself wondering why the kid had done that for a little while as he secretly stole aboard a freight ship's medical wing, on a course headed for a distant planet. But he realized the answer soon enough. He could almost hear the kid defending his actions right now…it had just been the right thing to do. He had trusted them to get out of there, and wasn't sorry for what he'd done.

Ridley was.

As for Samus, her ship was full of fuel again after a little while. She walked back onto it after paying for the fuel and ignored the attendant's attempt to try and convince her to get new paintjob for her ship. She manned the controls and headed back to her home.

She needed a drink. Bad.


	10. Chapter 10

**EPILOGUE**

Samus Aran had been telling her story, and finally finished up. "That's all of it." She said. She put down what was left of her drink, the old Zebes bartender sighed.

"That kid saved your life, Samus. I can understand how you feel."

Samus just looked down at the drink in front of her, barely blinking. There was really only two people in there and she was so occupied with her own thoughts and the slow descent of the remaining alchoholic droplets slid down that she didn't pay them any attention.

"Samus…you trusted him, and he ended up coming through for you. For you AND Ridley. I know you feel he betrayed your trust by dying, but I think that deep down you know that there wasn't any other way it would go down. If he hadn't pushed you two in, you would have died while still trying to figure out how to get all of you to fit inside that capsule."

"…"

"Didn't you say to me once that that guy…Malkovich? Didn't he die trying to help you too? He died saving you, I heard."

"…"

"It's not wrong to trust people, Samus."

"Even if they break my heart?"

"It's better than feeling nothing at all." The bartender said, nodding. "Far better. Take it from me. It really is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all."

Samus blew a lock of hair aside with a single breath. "PHOO. You know…I wish I could believe that. I wish I could believe a lot of things. But maybe I shouldn't trust. I mean, I'm a bounty hunter when you get right down to it…trust is so fickle in this business."

The bartender sighed. "Honestly, Sammy."

Suddenly the karaoke machine began playing a new song. It was also an Earth song, by a British band. She'd heard this song…at least part of it, before. Really only in a scene in that movie, what was it? Titan A.E, right.

**BGM: Cosmic Castaway, by ****Electrasy**

_Lose my head to the chemical freeway, __Comin__' up on overload!__In a mystic new dimension, __Purify and sanctify me! _

"Anyhow…" The bartender sighed and put down another drink. "Here. Your favorite beer."

"I don't want a beer, okay?" She said. "Not in the mood."

_What, so I'm in no endgame! __Move my piece right off the board! __Losing sure is easy, so I am no more!_

"Come on. I even put a little lemon in it."

_But I'm not broken…in my dream I win! __Out there I'm nothing…a Cosmic __Castawaaaaay!_

"…fine. But I'm not paying for it." Samus sipped the beer. It felt good going down her throat. It was familiar.

_In my head I'm a chemical dreamer, __Speed up to burnout mode! __Comin__' up in the 5th dimension, __Beautify don't crucify me, yeah! _

She wondered though…why had he been so happy, so sure of himself? Nobody survived a black hole usually…

_So I need no mind game poisoning my lonely soul, __Losing sure is easy so I am no more! _

"Oh, you don't gotta pay for it. That kid singing did." The bartender said, smiling lightly.

_But I'm not broken, in my dream I win, __And I take over, coz I'm no loser! _

Samus blinked.

_And I'm in and you're not…_

Suddenly she heard it…a line directed at HER…

_Bad dreams don't stop!_

She turned her head slowly…

_But I'm all screwed up, a Cosmic Castaway, __eee__-yeah!_

Her eyes widened…

_A Cosmic Castaway, __eee__-yeah! A Cosmic __Castawaaaay!_

There, sitting at a table was a familiar draconian face. And on the stage…

_And I want but have…not…__Bad dreams…lust thoughts… __In…here with no pain, you hurt…me…a…gain… _

Samus found herself getting up off the seat, walking towards the stage.

_And I want…but have none… __I should…beat the __aaaaalien__… _

She was now passing the space dragon, who smiled at her as she got on top of the stage with the singer…

_But here I'm…no…one…a Cosmic Castaway, __eee__-yeah!__A Cosmic Castaway, __eee__-yeah! A Cosmic Castaway, __eee__-yeah!_

The kid, mood necklace and all, held out his hand towards her, eyes inviting her as he sang out the final line to the song.

_A Cosmic __Castawaaaaaaaay!_

And suddenly she felt it, the beautiful sense of something far greater than herself flowing through her, the rhythm of life itself, and her heart was clearly beating to it. She found herself dancing, arms above her head, nodding slightly, eyes closed as she moved her feet to the beat of the music, moving rhythmically in an almost tribal fashion to match the boy who danced along with her on the stage, matching her in her passion as she felt her heart connect to all things in that one moment.

The stars above the bar twinkled slowly. The music died away. And as Samus sat down at the table where that darn space dragon was, she turned to the boy who sat between the two and opened her mouth to speak.

The bartender smiled as he saw Ridley order a round of drinks for them. A moment like this was worth being investigated for being seen around a space pirate. Easiest 100 bucks he'd ever earned.

Once the threesome had acquired their drinks, the kid raised his own glass. "To our rivals." The kid said as he raised an old Earth drink called a Shirley Temple above the table. "May they continue to force us to improve ourselves."

They clinked their glasses. Samus raised HER glass. "To one in a million chances." She said.

They clinked their glasses. Now Ridley hesitated, then raised his glass. He would have to leave in a few minutes, he had to return to Space Pirate HQ. But before he did that, he had a toast to make.

"To trust." He decided. "Yeah…" He mused out loud. "To trust."

They clinked their glasses.

Soon, the kid had to say goodbye. He was going to drop Ridley off at Space Pirate HQ, before returning to his trip. Samus was sorry to see him go, but knew deep down that what he'd given her, and Ridley too…

That wouldn't go away. Ever.

And the starts gently twinkled in the night sky above the bar.

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…"and that was how it happened."

"Wow…what a fantastical and wondrous story! tell another story!"

"With the greatest pleasure! You see, it all began…"

**Author's note:**

**Thank you to all who read this story, enjoy it and comment on it. Stuff like that makes MY day. (Smiles.) Now for a few things you might be wondering about...**

**For those of you who are good Metroid fans, you probably already know where I got the origin story for Samus from, and how she first met Ridley. For those who don't know the whole story, don't worry, it's easy to find with Google/Wikipedia if you know where to look. Secondly, "why group Samus and Ridley together like this?" Simple...it forces them to work together in an unusual situation and allows them to develop a little, don'tcha think? They may be enemies and rivals but that doesn't mean they have to be ALWAYS on! Thirdly, "what does the future hold for those two feuding space fighters", you may ask. Well THAT...is a story for another time. And they won't be the only ones in said story. **

**To reiterate what I said before...thank you everyone. Mahalo plenty! Take care...and...dare I say it? Of course I dare!**

**See you next mission! (Salutes with pointer and middle finger then walks off and vanishes into sunset)**


End file.
